Taelin's Story

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“Just where do ye think yer going?” Master boomed in a slightly amused though angry tone.

“Ai, saes! Let me go!” (Ah, please!) Taelin pleaded quietly to the figure of the large man who was standing in his only route of escape.

Master simply threw back his head and laughed before putting his fingers to his lips and whistling in some sort of code. Within minutes, three other figures had filtered into the alleyway. Taelin could feel himself start to tremble with fear once more. There was no escape, they would capture him, and take him back to that filthy little room.

“Take him!” Master hollered, pointing towards the terrified elf.

All at once, the three men lunged forwards at Taelin. They spread out slightly in order to better catch the elf, should he attempt to flee. Taelin, who couldn’t think clearly anymore, turned and ran towards the end of the alley, coming to a screeching halt at the stone wall at the end. He looked up, wondering if perhaps he might scale the wall. It was high, perhaps thirty feet tall, and there weren’t any foot or handholds. Still, the elf attempted to climb it nonetheless.

He jumped and tried to cling to anything with his weak fingers, frustrated that any strength he once possessed was now gone from lack of exercise and malnutrition. As he slid down the wall, he tried to jump again. This time he caught hold of something, but as he tried to pull himself up, large hands grabbed him, and threw him to the ground harshly.

“Please let me go, please!” Taelin begged, as he struggled to get up once more.

Before the elf could get to his feet, however, two pairs of hands grabbed his arms. Taelin struggled against the strong grips of Stink and Fear, but they were far too strong for him. He closed his eyes as Pain approached, the now familiar smirk on his face. Bracing himself, Taelin barely whred red as the large fist connected with his gut at full force. Again and again the elf suffered through the beating, until he was hanging limply between the two men, unable to lift even his own head.

It hurt to breathe now, and Taelin was sure they had broken at least one of his ribs. Moving caused shooting pain to flow through the elf’s chest, but the men didn’t care. They had orders to return him to the house, and find their comrade. Being half dragged, Taelin conceded defeat. He had tried to escape, and failed. Whatever came next, he thought, he would deserve. It served him right. Yet again, he was nothing but a failure. Unable to protect his parents, and now unable to even escape his captors.

The smell of the little stone room near turned Taelin’s stomach. It was rank and foul after the fresh spring air, and Taelin wondered how he had stood breathing that stale air for so very long. Stink grabbe the the keys from across the room and set about freeing his brother, whilst Fear and Pain cornered the elf.

“Thought ye could escape, did ye? Thought we’d just let you go?” Fear sneered, as he took something from his belt and handed it to Pain.

Within minutes, in cin could feel the clothes he was wearing be cut free, and the icy feeling of a blade being slid slowly across his skin. Surely they wouldn’t kill him, would they? He couldn’t help but whimper as the cold steel bit painfully into the skin along his shoulder, leaving a long gash that slowly seeped life-giving blood. Trembling from fear and pain, Taelin forced his eyes open and looked up at the guards once more.

“Think yer brave, little elf? Hmm? Think ye can face us, and keep yer pride? That we wont make you cry out? Won’t make you beg for our mercy?” Fear taunted as Pain slid the hunting knife down Taelin’s other arm, leaving a trail of blood behind it.

Without notice, Fear then approached and proceeded to kick the elf with all his might. Taelin simply bit his lip against the moans as he could feel the bones of his ribs and collarbone snap beneath the force of the blows. If that were the extent of his injuries this night, he would have been lucky.

Once Sneak was freed, they dragged the elf over to his previous prison. Clamping the manacles around his wrists and ankles once more, ignoring the hisses of pain that escaped the elf’s lips. This done, they tightened the chains at his wrists, so he was only able to stand face first against the wall.

Taelin’s breath was coming in short gasps, for it hurt too much to breathe too deep. Trying very hard to ignore the trembling, he listened to the men in the room. They barely spoke, but new tremors spread through the elf’s body when he heard the sounds of a whip being uncurled.

Before he knew it, the leather whip had flown through the air and landed against his back with a loud crack. Another and another, and finally Taelin could hold back no longer. The next crack sent his voice crying out with pain. He could feel the hot sticky trails of blood dripping down his legs to the cold stone floor. He pressed his cheek to the smooth stone wall and closed his eyes, longing for this all to be over with.

After what seemed like hours, the whipping was finally over. There wasn’t an inch of skin along the elf’s back that was not angry red or bleeding. The chains were released, and Taelin fell to the floor, unable to support himself any longer. He shuddered from the pain, which only served to make it all grow worse. His head spun and he could no longer see straight.

“Come here, elf.” Pain now demanded. “I said come here!”

Taelin could neither move nor breathe without pain, and yet he pulled himself up to his hands and knees to begis sls slow crawl to the men who had beckoned him. It wasn’t fast enough for them, however, and so Fear came forward and grabbing Taelin’s right arm, proceeded to drag him to the middle of the room. Taelin cried out as a loud pop was heard, and his shoulder dislocated itself.

The elf prayed silently that he would lose consciousness soon, for the pain was unbearable. In barely a whisper he repeated the elvish word for please over and over again, but nothing would ease his torment. Taelin’s heart sank when he guessed the new torture he was about to be subject to. A large mallet.

“I’ll fix ye so ye’ll never be able to escape again, elf.” Fear’s voice was quiet and full of menace. “In fact, ye’ll be lucky should you ever walk again!”

Once more, the elf’s voice rang out as the bones in his legs and arms were broken in several places. Just when Taelin thought it couldn’t get any worse, he was yet again hauled to his feet. Unable to open his eyes for the pain that flowed through his body, the elf relied on his other senses to tell him what was going on around him. It was no surprise when the rough fingers of Fear finally gripped his chin. WhatWhat say you, elf? I think I’ve had enough fun with ye this night, but I’m still not satisfied. Perhaps I should pay yer wench a visit? I hear she gives some good lovin’!”

Taelin became enraged. Beat him, yes. Whip him, fine. Molest and rape him, sure. But no one threatened his love. Pain glazed blue eyes snapped open and glared coldly at the man before him. Taelin wished to lash out with all his might, but his poor abused body betrayed him yet again, and would not budge. He was helpless. He did the only thing he could. He spat in Fear’s face.

“Don’t … you …touch … her!” Taelin panted through his pain.

“That, my fair elf, was a very big mistake.” Fear stated, his voice dripping with icy menace.

Taelin closed his eyes just in time to feel the fist connect with his jaw. The blow held enough force to break the elf’s jaw and send him finally into blissful darkness. It was here, in the middle of the floor, surrounded by splatters of his own blood, that the healer found poor Taelin a few hours later.